Wagon-brake.



No. 659,2!2. Paiented Oct. 9, I900.

a. w. cox.

WAGON BRAKE. (Application 1119111566. 26, 1397.

2 Sheets-Shoot (No Model.)

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No. 659,2!2. Patented Oct. 9, I900. G. W. COX.

WAGON BRAKE.

(Applicafion med Nov. 26, 1897'.) (N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. COX, OF UNION, KANSAS.

WAGON-BRAKE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 659,212,dated. October 9, 1960 Application filed November 26, 1897. Serial No.659,797. \No model.)

To all whom it may 007L067:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. 002;, a citizen of the United States,residing at Union, in the county of Osage and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Brakes, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in wagon-brakes.

It relates more particularly to the class of automatic wagon-brakes inwhich the brake is applied to the wagon-wheels by the action of thehorses used in drawing the wagon.

My invention comprises a construction in which the brake -shoes areapplied to the wheels when the horses pull on the neck-yoke, as inholding back while going downhill, and released therefrom by the drawingstrain upon the doubletree.

My invention comprises, further, a forwardly and rearwardly slidingdoubletree, mechanism supporting the brake-shoes,mechanism connectingthe said brake-shoe mechanism with the doubletree, and mechanismconnecting the neck-yoke with the brake-shoe mechanism, all so combinedthat the brakeshoes are applied to the wheels by a strain put upon theneck-yoke in the proper direction and released therefrom by the drawingforward of the sliding doubletree.

My invention provides, further, a device adapted when operated toprevent the application of the brake-shoes to the wheel when the horsesare backed.

My invention provides, further, certainpeculiarities of constructionhereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate my invention as applied toa two-horse wagon, Figure I represents a side elevation of a wagonfurnished with a brake constructed in accordance with the principles ofmy'invention. In this view a portion of the tongue is broken away andalso portions of the forward wheel and wagon-bed are broken away inorder to better disclose the construction of the invention. Fig. IIrepresents a view similar to the one in Fig. 1, portions of the wagondirectly connected with the brake mechanism only being shown. Inthis-view the mechanism is shown in the position assumed by it whenthe'brakes are not applied to the wheels, while in Fig. I the parts areshown in the position assumed by them when the brake-shoes are appliedto the wheels. Fig. III represents a cross-section looking rearward,taken on the dotted line a b of Fig. I, the bed and wheels only of thewagon being shown. Fig. IV represents an elevation view looking towardthe dashboard of the device used to prevent the application of thebrake, the parts being shown in the position occupied by them when thedevice is so used. The positions of the.

operative parts of the devices occupied by them when the device is notin use are shown in dotted lines. Fig. V represents a verticallongitudinal sectional view of the parts immediately connected with thesliding doubletree. Fig. VI represents atop view of the same.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout thevarious figures.

1 indicates the wagon-bed, 2 the dashboard, 3 the tongue, 4 theneck-yoke, 5 the doubletree, 6 the rear wheels, and 7 the brakeshoes,all'of which may be of the ordinary pattern. The brake-shoes 7 aresecured to the outer ends, respectively, of two downwardly-extendingarms 8, with which the two ends of a horizontal rock-shaft 9 areprovided. The rock-shaft 9 is transversely disposed under the bed of thewagon in front of the two rear wagon-wheels and is rotatably mounted inbearings 10, secured to the under side of the bottom of the wagon-bed.By rocking the rock-shaft 9 in its bearings the brakeshoes may be forcedagainst or away from the rear wagon-wheels 6.

In order to apply the brake-shoes against the wagon-wheels for thepurpose of braking, the following mechanism is provided: Pro- .jectingbelow the axial center of the rockshaft 9 midway of its length andpreferably formed in the shaft is a U-shaped crank 11, from the centerof which upwardly projects a lever 12, Pivoted at their rear ends to thelever 12 at a point above the axial center of the rock-shaft 9 are thebars 13," the forward ends of which are pivotally connected to adownwardlyextending lever 14, the upper end of which is pivotallysecured to a bearing 15, which in turn is secured to the under side ofthe wagon-bed forward of the rock-shaft 9.

The rear end of a coupling 16 is pivoted so as to swing in a verticalplane to the lower end of the lever 14. The forward end of the coupling16 is pivotedso as to swing in a horizontal plane to the rear end of aconnecting-rod 17, the forward end of which is pivoted so as to swing ina vertical plane to the rear end of a coupling 18, similar inconstruction to the coupling 16, and having its forward end pivoted soas to swing in a horizontal plane to the rear end of a sliding bar 19,which is supported in bearings 20, secured to the under side of thewagon-tongue 3. The forward end of the sliding bar 19, which may beprovided with an eye for that purpose, has secured to it the rear end ofa strap 21, which passes around the forward face of a frictionroller 22,secured at the forward end of the tongue, and has its forward endsecured to the neck-yoke 4. When the neck-yoke is drawn upwardly orrearwardly, the sliding bar is drawn forward and, through theintermediacy of the couplings 16 and 18 and connect-ing-rod 17, drawsthe lower end of the lever 14 forward, thus rocking the rock-shaft 9 ina direction such as will force the brakeshoes 7 against the peripheriesof the rear wheels 6 through the intermediacy of the bars 13, the lever12, and the crank 11. One end of a coupling similar in construction tothe coupling 16 and designated by the numeral 23 is pivoted so as toswing in a vertical plane to the lever 12 at a pointbelow the axialcenter of the rock-shaft 9. The other end of the couplingjust mentionedis pivoted so as to swing in a horizontal plane to the rear end of aconnecting-rod 24, the forward end of which is pivoted so as to swing ina vertical plane to acoupling 25, the forward end of which is pivoted soas to swing in a horizontal plane to the rear end of a sliding plate 26,which is longitudinal upon a horizontal plate 27, secured to the rearend of the tongue 3, upon the upper side thereof. The plate 27 isprovided with two upwardly-projecting studs 28, located, respectively,in the two slots 29,with which the slide-plate 26 is provided. Througheach stud 28 and through the plate 27 and the tongue 3 in openingsprovided therefor extends a vertical bolt 30, the upper end of which isscrew-threaded and provided with a washer 31, which rests upon the upperend of the stud 28 and retains the plate 26 against displacement, and anut 32. Upon the upper side of the plate 26,secured by means of thehammer-bolt 33, is the doubletree 5. The plate 26 is provided with avertical opening therethrough between the slots 29 to receive the hammer-bolt, a recess also being provided in the under side of the saidslide-plate to receive the head of the hammer-bolt. The upper end of thehammer-bolt extends through an opening provided in the ham mer-strap 34,located above the doubletree 5 and having its ends secured to the upperside of the slideplate 26. Upon the hammer-bolt 33, above thehammer-strap 34, is secured a nut 35.

When the horses draw upon the doubletree, the slide-plate 26 is forcedforward upon the plate 27, thus drawing forward the connecting-rod 24and rocking the shaft 9 in a direction such as will force thebrake-shoes away from the wheels.

It will be noted that whenever the horses pull the neck-yoke upwardly orrearwardly the rock-shaft 9 will be rocked in a direction such as willforce the brake-shoes toward the rear wheels and at the same timedrawing the slide-plate 26, carrying the doubletree 5, with itrearwardly, and thus taking up the slack in the traces occasioned by theholding back of the horses. With this construction the traces are notliable to become unfastened from the singletrees. If, however, it isdesired to back the horses for any purpose, it is usually not desirableto have the brakes applied, and to prevent the application of thebrake-shoes at such times I have devised the following-describedmechanism: Immediately in the rear of the dashboard 2, with its lowerend secured to the bottom of the wagon-bed, is located averticalinverted- U -shaped plate 36,provided with a transverse cross-piece, towhich is pivotally secured one end of a lever 37, the shape of which isbest illustrated in Fig. IV, and which is adapted to swing to the rightand left between the plate 36 and an arcuate-shaped plate 38, the lowerends of which are secured to the plate 36, the points of union betweenthe two plates serving as the seats for Supporting the lever 37 in thetwo positions occupied by it. Pivoted to the lever 37 is a plate 39,which is provided with a slot in which is secured the forward upper endof a strap 40, which passes down through an opening or slot provided inthe bottom of the wagon-bed (indicated by 41) and around afriction-roller 42, which is rotatably mounted in bearing-brackets 43,secured to the under side of the wagon-bed, the rear end of the strap 40being secured to a loop 44, provided on the connecting-rod 24. The plate36 is provided at each side,near the bottom,with forward ly-extendin gprojections 45, provided with transverse openings, in which arerotatably mounted the two ends of a friction-roller 46, located to therear of the strap 40 and preventing the contact of the strap with thedashboard. If the lever 37 is swung into the position shown in solidlines in Fig. IV, the strap 40 will be drawn forwardly, thus drawing theconnecting-rod 24 forwardly and rocking the shaft, so as to bring theshoes 7 away from the wheels 6. It will be noted that the strap 40 inthis position is to the right of the pivotal point between the lever 37and the plate 36, and any strain down on the strap will cause the lever37 to rest more securely in its seat at the right side of the plate 36.If while the lever 37 is in this position the horses are backed, thusdrawing upon the neck-yoke and strap 21 and tending to force the brakeshoes against the wheels, this tendency to apply the brakes will beresisted by the strap 40, which holds the connecting-rod 24 fromrearward movement, and thus prevents the rocking of the shaft 9, andconsequently prevents the application of the brake-shoes to the wheels.My invention is adapted to be applied to most any form of wagon or buggyand may be subjected to various modifications to suit the style ofvehicle with which it is to be used without departing from its spirit.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. In a wagon-brake, the combination with a rock-shaft adapted tosupport the brakeshoes, of a lever secured to and extending beyond theaxial center of the rock-shaft in opposite directions, a forwardly andrearwardly movable support for the doubletree, mechanism connecting thesaid support with one end of the said lever, and mechanism, operated bythe horses when pulling backward, and connected with the said lever uponthe other side of the rock-shaft, substantially as described. 2. In awagon-brake, the combination with a rock-shaft provided at its ends witharms adapted to support the brake-shoes, a lever secured to therock-shaft and extending at each side of the axial center thereof,a-forwardly and rearwardly movable support for the doubletree, mechanismfor rocking the shaft connecting the lever at one side of the rock-shaftwith the said support, a forwardly and rearwardly movable bar providedwith means for connecting the neck-yoke at one end, and mechanismconnecting the other end of the said bar with the said lever upon theopposite side of the rock-shaft from the firstnamed connectiontherewith, substantially as described.

3. In a wagon-brake, the combination with of the rock-shaft, mechanismfor rocking the shaft connecting the movable support and one end of thesaid lever, and mechanism connecting the other end of the said leverwith the movable bar, substantially as described.

4. In a wagon-brake, the combination with a rock-shaft provided witharms forsupporting the brake-shoes, of the wagon-tongue, a sliding barsupported by the tongue, a strap secured at one end to the forward endof the said sliding bar and passing over a bearing provided therefor inthe forward end of the tongue and adapted to have its forward end'secured to the neck-yoke, a forwardly and rearwardly movable support forthe doubletree mounted upon the tongue, a lever secured to therock-shaft and extending each side of the axial center thereof,mechanism connecting the movable doubletree-support with one end of thesaid lever, and mechanism connecting the sliding bar with the other endof the said lever, whereby the rock-shaft may be rocked in twodirections alternately by the moving of the sliding bar and thedoubletree-support, substantially as described.

5. In a wagon-brake, the combination with a rock-shaft provided witharms for supporting the brake-shoes, of a lever 18 secured thereto andextending each side of the axial center thereof, the forwardly andrearwardly movable bar 19, the forwardly and rearwardly movabledoubletree-support 26, the rod 24, couplings 23 and 25 for connectingthe ends of the rod 24 with one end of the lever 12 and thedoubletree-support respectively, the lever 14, the link 13 pivoted atits ends to the other end of the lever 12 and to the lever 14, the rod17 and couplings 16 and 18 connecting respectively the two ends of therod 17 with the lever 14 and the bar 19, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE W. COX.

Witnesses:

HENRY ARNOLD, O. H. REDMON.

